Final Fantasy IV: The After Years Finally Arrives On Steam

For fans of the classic RPG, Final Fantasy IV, you'll be happy to know that the direct sequel, Final Fantasy IV: The After Years, is now available on Steam. Get ready for some classic questing on your PC. There will be chocobos.

A lot of folks aren't even aware of the fact that Square Enix made a follow-up to one of the first games in the Final Fantasy series, primarily because its a decently recent game. While FFIV first hit the market way back in 1991, The After Years didn't come around until 2008, originally releasing as a mobile game in Japan and eventually making its way West.

It's been a long time coming, but The After Years has finally made its way (legally) to PC, available starting today on Steam for $15.99. You can also grab a bundle featuring both the original game and this more recent follow-up for $22.99.

In today's announcement, Square Enix points out that this PC version of The After Years has undergone a 3D makeover, including a new opening movie and Steam Achievements for good measure. For fans of the original game who have not yet gotten their hands on this sequel, you can expect the story to pick up nearly two decades following the events of Final Fantasy IV, catching up with beloved characters from the original while simultaneously introducing a brand new cast.

“The son born of King Cecil and Queen Rosa of Baron has grown into a young man,” reads the official announcement. “Prince Ceodore has enlisted in the airship fleet known as the Red Wings, eager to meet the expectations demanded of his blood and station.”

Unfortunately for Ceodore, a new moon has appeared in the night sky, bringing with it a horde of monsters and villains aplenty. It looks like Ceodore will have to live up to his father's legacy in this new adventure, as the world is, of course, once again in need of saving.

The After Years boasts 10 playable stories to work through, as well as the now-popular active time battle system. That's the same system that's popped up in more recent games like Final Fantasy: Record Keeper for mobile.

The phase of the moon will have an impact on battles, as will your ability to band party members' abilities together to create more powerful attacks.

If you're looking for some classic RPG gameplay with a few more modern twists, you can grab FFIV: The After Years starting today. Otherwise, it's not like anyone's exactly hurting for new Final Fantasy content. Type-0 launched recently, which also came with the exclusive playable demo for upcoming Final Fantasy XIV. Yet another HD-ified version of Final Fantasy X and X-2launched today, with a major expansion for Final Fantasy XIV expected next month. Yep, it's a busy time to be a Final Fantasy fan.